The Scroll, The Wilderness, and The War Between Two Maps

“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” —Matthew 4:4

The Temptation: Where Two Maps Collide

Picture the scene: The wilderness of Judea. Barren. Desolate. Silent except for the howling wind and the whispers of death.

Jesus—fully God, fully man—stands alone. Forty days without food. Forty nights without water. His body, weakened to the point of collapse. His flesh, screaming for sustenance. His humanity, pushed to the absolute limit of survival.

And then, out of the shadows, comes the voice.

The serpent. The accuser. The father of lies. Satan himself.

“If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” (Matthew 4:3)

Reasonable, isn’t it? You’re starving. You have the power. Why not use it? What’s the harm?

But Jesus doesn’t reach for a stone. He doesn’t defend Himself. He doesn’t engage in debate.

Instead, He reaches for something else—something infinitely more powerful than bread, more sustaining than water, more authoritative than any argument Satan could muster.

He reaches for THE SCROLL.

“It is written…” (Matthew 4:4)

Three words. That’s all it takes.

“IT IS WRITTEN.”

Not “I think.” Not “I feel.” Not “Maybe.” Not “Let’s discuss this.”

“IT IS WRITTEN.”

And with those three words, Jesus establishes the singular, unshakable foundation upon which every human being must stand if they are to survive the wilderness, resist the enemy, and fulfill their destiny:

The Scroll of Life—the written Word of God—contains EVERYTHING.

Every answer. Every solution. Every promise. Every provision. Every strategy. Every truth. Every defense.

EVERYTHING.

And if it’s written in the Scroll, then it WILL come to pass—not because we make it happen, not because we figure it out, not because we’re good enough or smart enough or strong enough—but because GOD WROTE IT, AND GOD KEEPS HIS WORD.

The Pattern: Praising God Through EVERYTHING by Faith in What Is Written

Three times Satan tempts Jesus in the wilderness. Three times Jesus responds the exact same way:

“It is written…” (Matthew 4:4)
“It is written…” (Matthew 4:7)
“It is written…” (Matthew 4:10)

Notice what Jesus doesn’t do:

He doesn’t defend Himself by arguing His credentials

He doesn’t negotiate with the enemy

He doesn’t rely on feelings (“I feel like this is wrong”)

He doesn’t lean on logic (“Let me explain why this doesn’t make sense”)

He doesn’t try to out-debate Satan (who is far more intelligent than any human)

Instead, Jesus does ONE THING:

He stands on what is WRITTEN.

And every time He quotes the Scroll, Satan has no response. The enemy cannot argue with what God has written. He can twist it, pervert it, misapply it—but he cannot override it.

Why?

Because the Scroll is eternal, complete, and unbreakable.

What God has written WILL come to pass. Not might. Not maybe. WILL.

And when you stand on what is written—when you declare by faith, “It is written!”—you are not standing on your own strength, your own wisdom, or your own righteousness.

You are standing on the Throne of God Himself.

The Scroll of Life: Written Before the Foundation of the World

Long before Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness—long before the serpent deceived Eve in the garden—long before Adam was formed from the dust—long before the earth was spoken into existence—THE SCROLL EXISTED.

Ephesians 1:4: “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.”

Revelation 13:8: “The Lamb’s book of life from the foundation of the world.”

2 Timothy 1:9: “Grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity.”

Before time began, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit sat in perfect communion, in perfect love, in perfect unity—and They wrote the Scroll.

The Scroll of Life. The Book of Life. The Lamb’s Book. The complete, eternal, unbreakable plan of redemption.

Everything is in the Scroll

The creation of the world (Genesis 1)
The fall of man (Genesis 3)
The promise of redemption (Genesis 3:15—the first gospel)
The covenants (Abraham, Moses, David)
The prophecies (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Malachi)
The incarnation (Jesus born in Bethlehem—Micah 5:2)
The crucifixion (Psalm 22, Isaiah 53)
The resurrection (Psalm 16:10, Isaiah 53:10-11)
The Church Age (Acts 2 onward)
The Tribulation (Daniel 9:27, Revelation 6-19)
The return of the King (Zechariah 14:4, Revelation 19:11-16)
The Millennium (Revelation 20:1-6)
The final judgment (Revelation 20:11-15)
The New Heaven and New Earth (Isaiah 65:17, Revelation 21-22)

Every. Single. Detail.

Nothing is missing. Nothing is broken. Nothing needs to be added.

The Scroll is COMPLETE.

And the only One worthy to open it, to fulfill it, to bring it to pass is THE LAMB—Jesus Christ, the Lion of Judah, the Root of David, the King of kings and Lord of lords.

Revelation 5:5: “Behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.”

The Bereshit Prophecy: Seven Days, Seven Thousand Years

Within the Scroll is embedded a stunning prophetic pattern—a calendar, a timeline, a framework that reveals exactly where we are in God’s redemptive plan.

It’s called the Bereshit Prophecy (from the Hebrew word for “beginning”—Genesis 1:1).

The pattern is simple, yet profound:

2 Peter 3:8: “But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.”

God operates on a 7,000-year calendar:

6 days (6,000 years) = The age of man’s rule, man’s labor, man’s rebellion

1 day (1,000 years) = The Sabbath rest, the Millennium, the reign of Christ

Just as God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh, so humanity will labor under sin and death for 6,000 years, followed by a 1,000-year Sabbath when Jesus reigns as King over all the earth.

The timeline:

4004 BC: Creation (Day 1 begins)
4 BC 1 AD: Jesus is born (approximately 4,000 years from creation)
31 AD: Jesus is crucified and resurrected
2025 AD: We are here—nearing the end of 6,000 years
2032 AD: The return of Christ (end of Day 6, beginning of Day 7)
2032-3032 AD: The Millennium (the 7th day—1,000-year reign)
3053 AD: The 144th Jubilee, the final judgment, the old heaven and earth pass away
3054 AD: New Heaven and New Earth begin—eternity

This is the Scroll’s timeline. And we are at the very end of Day 6.

The sun is setting. The Sabbath is about to begin. The King is about to return.

It is written.

The Bible: The Self-Playing Piano Revealing the Scroll

Imagine a grand piano sitting in a concert hall. But this is no ordinary piano. This piano doesn’t need a pianist. It plays itself.

How? Because the music is already written on a scroll—a perforated roll of paper that feeds through the mechanism. Every note, every chord, every pause, every crescendo—already predetermined, already composed, already perfect.

All the piano does is reveal what was already written.

This is the Bible.

The Bible is not creating the plan. The Bible is revealing the Scroll—the eternal, complete, predetermined plan of God that existed before time began.

Every prophecy fulfilled. Every promise kept. Every word proven true.

Not because humans made it happen. Not because the Church figured it out. But because GOD WROTE IT, AND GOD IS FAITHFUL.

Isaiah 46:10: “Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, ‘My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure.’”

Numbers 23:19: “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent; has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?”

Hebrews 4:3: “His works were finished from the foundation of the world.”

The Scroll was finished before creation. Now it’s simply unfolding in time.

And as we read the Bible, we’re watching the self-playing piano reveal—note by note, prophecy by prophecy, fulfillment by fulfillment—the glory of what God has already written.

In the End, We See the Beginning

The Scroll doesn’t end with tragedy. It doesn’t end with uncertainty. It doesn’t leave us guessing.

We know how it ends because GOD ALREADY WROTE THE FINAL CHAPTER.

Revelation 21:1-5: “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away… And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.’ And He who sits on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’ And He said, ‘Write, for these words are faithful and true.’”

In the end:

Jesus is enthroned on the Father’s throne (Revelation 22:3)

Angels and redeemed humanity serve Him as kings and priests (Revelation 1:6, 5:10)

Total peace reigns—no more war, death, pain, tears, sin, or curse (Revelation 21:4, 22:3)

We see His face (Revelation 22:4)

We dwell with Him forever (Revelation 22:5)

And those who rebelled?

Satan is cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10)

Demons receive their final judgment (Matthew 25:41)

Unbelievers whose names are not in the Book of Life are judged (Revelation 20:15)

All wickedness, lawlessness, and SELF are eradicated forever

Justice is served. Grace is exalted. God is glorified. The Scroll is complete.

The War of Two Maps: Chicago vs. Detroit

But here’s the problem: Not everyone is following the Scroll.

In fact, most of humanity—including much of the Church—is frantically trying to complete a mission using the wrong map.

Let me explain with an analogy:

Imagine you’re given a critical task: Deliver blueprints to a client in Chicago at 123 Maple Avenue.

You have:

The blueprints
The client’s name
The address

But there’s one problem: Your boss gave you a map of Detroit.

Now, no matter how hard you try, no matter how sincere your desire, no matter how many hours you spend driving—you will never reach Chicago using a map of Detroit.

You could have:

Perfect intentions
Tireless work ethic
Absolute dedication
Flawless execution

But without the right map, you will fail.

Worse, you’ll exhaust yourself. You’ll become frustrated. You’ll blame yourself. And the enemy—who gave you the wrong map in the first place—will condemn you for failing to reach a destination you could never reach with the map you were given.

This is the human condition.

Two maps exist:

Map 1: The Scroll of Life (The Chicago Map)

Created by God before the foundation of the world
Based on GRACE (God’s unmerited favor)
Centered on CHRIST (His finished work)
Powered by FAITH (trust in what God has written)
Results in LIFE, FREEDOM, REST, JOY, FRUITFULNESS, and GLORY TO GOD

Map 2: The Enemy’s Counterfeit (The Detroit Map)

Created by Lucifer, the father of lies
Based on SELF-EFFORT (you must earn it)
Centered on SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS (you must be good enough)
Powered by WORKS (your performance determines your worth)
Results in EXHAUSTION, CONDEMNATION, FUTILITY, DEATH, and NO GLORY TO GOD

The tragedy is this:

Most people—even Christians—are using the Detroit map (self-effort, works, law, performance) while trying to reach Chicago (God’s purposes, eternal life, abundant life, rest in Christ).

And it doesn’t work.

It can’t work.

Because the wrong map will never lead to the right destination, no matter how sincerely you follow it.

The Solution: Follow the Right Map by Faith

So how do we follow the Scroll? How do we use the Chicago map instead of the Detroit map?

Jesus shows us in the wilderness:

“It is written!”

Three times tempted. Three times victorious. Three times standing on what God has written in the Scroll.

The pattern is simple:

Die to SELF (crucify the flesh, deny yourself, take up your cross—Luke 9:23)

Receive Christ’s life by FAITH (trust what God has written, not what you feel—Galatians 2:20)

Walk in the SPIRIT (let the Holy Spirit lead you through the Scroll—Galatians 5:16)

Praise God in ALL things (give thanks in everything, for this is God’s will—1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Stand on what is WRITTEN (declare “It is written!” when the enemy attacks)

Why praise God in ALL things?

Because the Scroll contains the solution to EVERY problem, the answer to EVERY question, the provision for EVERY need.

Facing a delay? It’s in the Scroll (refining, testing, preparation)

Facing mockery? It’s in the Scroll (blessed are you when persecuted—Matthew 5:11)

Facing suffering? It’s in the Scroll (produces endurance, character, hope—Romans 5:3-5)

Facing uncertainty? It’s in the Scroll (God’s purposes will stand—Isaiah 46:10)

Facing death? It’s in the Scroll (to die is gain—Philippians 1:21)

There is nothing outside the Scroll that God didn’t already see, already plan for, already provide the solution for.

So we praise Him—not because we feel like it, but because we BELIEVE what is written.

This is faith: Praising God through the wilderness because the Scroll says He is faithful.

The Call: Stand on What Is Written

The enemy will come. He always does.

He came to Jesus in the wilderness. He’ll come to you.

He’ll whisper:

“God has forgotten you.”
“The promise isn’t for you.”
“You’ve waited too long.”
“It’s never going to happen.”
“You were wrong to hope.”
“You’re a fool for believing.”

And when he does, you have one weapon—the same weapon Jesus used:

“It is written!”

Not “I think.” Not “I hope.” Not “Maybe.”

“It is WRITTEN.”

And what is written?

Hebrews 13:5: “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you.”

Romans 8:28: “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God.”

Philippians 1:6: “He who began a good work in you will perfect it.”

Isaiah 46:10: “My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure.”

Revelation 22:20: “Yes, I am coming quickly.”

IT IS WRITTEN.

And if it’s written, it WILL come to pass—not because you’re strong enough, but because GOD IS FAITHFUL.

The Scroll Is in Jesus’ Hands

Revelation 5:7: “And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.”

The Scroll is not in your hands. It’s not in the enemy’s hands. It’s not in the world’s hands.

The Scroll is in JESUS’ HANDS.

And He is worthy. He is faithful. He is true.

What He has written WILL come to pass.

So we stand. We watch. We praise. We declare:

“It is WRITTEN!”

And we trust—through delays, through wilderness, through mockery, through suffering—that the Scroll is unfolding exactly as planned.

The King is coming. The Scroll says so.

And if it’s written, it’s TRUE.

Now, let us walk through the Scroll together—from beginning to end—and see the Glory of the God who wrote it, the Lamb who opened it, and the Spirit who reveals it.

IT IS WRITTEN.

And so it SHALL BE.

The Scroll of Life: The Complete, Contained, Perfect Map Given Before the Foundation of the World

The Map Analogy: Why This Is EVERYTHING

Your analogy is devastating in its clarity:

Two Maps Exist

Map 1: The Scroll of Life (Chicago Map)

Created by God before the foundation of the world

Contains EVERYTHING: beginning, end, purpose, plan, grace, redemption

Jesus is the ONLY ONE who can open and fulfill it

Given freely to those who seek Him

Leads to the RIGHT destination (eternal life, glorifying God)

Traveled in His limo (grace), with Him as driver (Holy Spirit), to the right address (His purposes fulfilled)

Map 2: The Enemy’s Counterfeit (Detroit Map)

Created by Lucifer, the father of lies

Designed to look legitimate but leads to the wrong destination

Based on SELF (self-effort, self-righteousness, self-focus)

Impossible to complete the mission using this map

Results in frustration, futility, condemnation

The enemy rigged it so we fail, then condemns us for failing

The Tragedy

Most of humanity—including most of the Church—is frantically trying to deliver blueprints to Chicago using the map of Detroit.

They have good intentions
They have sincere desire
They work hard
They are faithful in their efforts

But they have the WRONG MAP.

And no amount of sincerity, effort, or good intentions can make the Detroit map lead to Chicago.

Result:

Exhaustion
Failure
Condemnation (from the enemy)
Fruitlessness
No one is blessed, completed, fulfilled, empowered, wise, or glorified

The Question: What Is the Scroll of Life?

Let’s go straight to Scripture and trace this from Genesis to Revelation.

Part 1: The Scroll Existed Before the Foundation of the World

Ephesians 1:3-5 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will.”

Key Points:

“Before the foundation of the world” = The plan existed BEFORE creation

“He chose us IN HIM” = The plan is centered on Christ

“He predestined us” = The scroll contains our destiny

“According to the kind intention of His will” = The scroll reflects His grace, not our merit

Revelation 13:8 “All who dwell on the earth will worship him [the beast], everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.”

Key Points:

“From the foundation of the world” = The Lamb’s book of life existed BEFORE creation

“The Lamb who has been slain” = Jesus’ sacrificial death was planned from the beginning, not a “Plan B”

The book contains names—those who belong to Him

1 Peter 1:19-20 “But with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you.”

Key Points:

“Foreknown before the foundation of the world” = The Lamb’s sacrifice was always the plan

Jesus didn’t show up because humanity messed up. He showed up because the scroll said He would.

Romans 8:29-30 “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.”

Key Points:

Foreknew = Knew intimately before time began

Predestined = Wrote the plan (the scroll) before time began

Called, justified, glorified = The scroll unfolds in time, but the plan was complete from the beginning

Notice: Paul uses past tense for “glorified”—even though we’re not glorified yet in time. Why? Because in the scroll, it’s already done. The plan is complete.

Psalm 139:16 “Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.”

Key Points:

“In Your book” = The scroll

“Were all written” = Past tense—already written

“The days that were ordained for me” = Every day of your life is in the scroll

“When as yet there was not one of them” = Written BEFORE you were born, before time began

The Scroll Is COMPLETE—Nothing Missing, Nothing Broken

John 19:30 “Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, ‘It is finished!’ And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.”

“It Is Finished” = Tetelestai (Greek)

Meaning:

Paid in full (used on receipts in ancient commerce)
Completed (nothing left to do)
Accomplished (the mission is done)

What was finished?

The debt of sin = Paid in full
The wrath of God = Satisfied
The curse of the law = Fulfilled (Galatians 3:13)
The requirements of the scroll = Completed

The scroll didn’t say, “Jesus will die and THEN you must add your works to finish it.”

The scroll said: “The Lamb will finish it ALL.”

And He did.

Colossians 2:13-14 “When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.”

Key Points:

“Certificate of debt” = The law’s condemnation, the enemy’s accusations

“Canceled out” = Obliterated, erased

“Nailed it to the cross” = The debt was nailed to the cross with Jesus

What does this mean?

The Detroit map (law, works, self-effort, condemnation) was nailed to the cross.

The Chicago map (grace, faith, Christ’s finished work) was opened and fulfilled.

Hebrews 10:14 “For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.”

Key Points:

“Perfected” = Completed, made whole, brought to the intended goal

“For all time” = Forever, eternally

“By one offering” = Not by our efforts, but by His sacrifice

The scroll says: “It’s done. Complete. Finished. Forever.”

2 Timothy 1:9 “Who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity.”

Key Points:

“Not according to our works” = The Detroit map (self-effort) is rejected

“According to His purpose and grace” = The Chicago map (grace) is given

“From all eternity” = The scroll existed before time

The Scroll Cannot Be Opened by Anyone Except the Lamb

Revelation 5:1-5 “I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, ‘Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?’ And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it. Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it; and one of the elders said to me, ‘Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.’”

This Is the CENTRAL Scene of All Scripture

The Setup:

The scroll is in God’s right hand = It contains the fullness of His plan

It’s written inside and on the back = Every detail is included, front and back, nothing missing

It’s sealed with seven seals = Complete sealing (7 = divine perfection); no one can access it without authority

The question is asked: “Who is WORTHY?” = Not “who is smart enough?” or “who is good enough?” but “who is WORTHY?”

The Answer:

NO ONE.

Not angels
Not humans
Not any created being
Not Moses, Abraham, David, or any prophet
NO ONE is worthy

John weeps because if no one can open the scroll, the plan cannot be fulfilled. Humanity is lost. Creation is doomed. The enemy wins.

Revelation 5:6-7 “And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth. And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.”

The Solution:

The Lamb—Jesus—is WORTHY.

Why?

“As if slain” = He died (the cross)
But He’s standing = He rose (the resurrection)
He takes the scroll = He alone has the authority to open it

Why Is Jesus Worthy?

Revelation 5:9-10: “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”

Because:

He was slain (paid the price)
He purchased us with His blood (redeemed us)
He fulfilled every requirement of the scroll

No one else could open it because no one else could PAY THE PRICE.

What Happens When the Lamb Opens the Seals?

Revelation 6-19: The scroll unfolds.

Seals 1-7: Judgments begin
Trumpets 1-7: Judgments intensify
Bowls 1-7: Final judgments poured out

Revelation 19: Jesus returns as King of kings

Revelation 20: Millennium, final judgment, Satan cast into the lake of fire

Revelation 21-22: New heaven, new earth, New Jerusalem—the scroll’s final fulfillment

Everything in the scroll happens exactly as written.

You MUST Die to Open the Scroll (For Yourself)

The Paradox: The Lamb Died to Open the Scroll; We Must Die to Enter It

Luke 9:23-24: “And He was saying to them all, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.’”

Key Points:

“Deny himself” = Death to SELF

“Take up his cross daily” = Daily dying (not one-time decision; ongoing surrender)

“Whoever loses his life” = Gives up all rights, plans, desires, ambitions

“For My sake” = Not for self-improvement, but for His glory

Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”

Key Points:

“Crucified with Christ” = SELF died

“No longer I who live” = SELF is gone

“Christ lives in me” = HE lives; I don’t

This is the ONLY way to follow the Chicago map.

Why?

Because the Detroit map is rooted in SELF (self-effort, self-righteousness, self-glory).

The Chicago map is rooted in CHRIST (His effort, His righteousness, His glory).

You can’t follow the Chicago map while clinging to SELF.

SELF must die.

Romans 6:3-6: “Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin.”

The Process:

Baptized into His death = United with Him in death

Buried with Him = SELF is buried (dead and gone)

Raised with Him = New life in Christ (not SELF-life, but Christ-life)

Walk in newness of life = Following the Chicago map

You cannot walk in newness of life (the scroll) while clinging to the old life (SELF).

John 12:24-25: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal.”

Key Points:

“Unless it dies” = Death is REQUIRED
“It remains alone” = No fruit without death
“If it dies, it bears much fruit” = Death produces LIFE

This is the gospel pattern:

Jesus died → Resurrection and life for all who believe

We die to SELF → Christ’s life flows through us

No death = No life.

The Scroll Contains EVERYTHING—By Grace Alone

Ephesians 1:3: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.”

“Every spiritual blessing” = EVERYTHING is already given.

Not “will bless us IF we perform.”

“HAS blessed us” = Past tense. Already done. In the scroll.

2 Peter 1:3 “Seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.”

“Has granted” = Past tense. Already given.

“Everything pertaining to life and godliness” = EVERYTHING we need is in the scroll.

Colossians 2:9-10 “For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority.”

“You have been made complete” = Not “will be made complete IF you add your works.”

Already complete. In Him. By grace.

Philippians 1:6 “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”

“He will perfect it” = HE does it, not you.

Your job: Die to SELF and let Him work.

His job: Complete what He started (and He will, because it’s in the scroll).

The Scroll Unfolds in Time—But It’s Already Complete

The Scroll Exists Outside of Time

Revelation 1:8 ”‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.’”

“Who is and who was and who is to come” = God exists in past, present, and future simultaneously.

For God:

The scroll is already complete

The end is already written

Your glorification is already done (Romans 8:30—“whom He justified, He also glorified”—past tense!)

For us:

The scroll unfolds in time

We experience it sequentially (day by day, year by year)

But the outcome is certain because the scroll is complete

Isaiah 46:10 “Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, ‘My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure.’”

Key Points:

“The end from the beginning” = God knows the end because He wrote it

“My purpose will be established” = The scroll WILL be fulfilled

“I will accomplish” = HE does it, not us

Hebrews 4:3 “For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said, ‘As I swore in My wrath, They shall not enter My rest,’ although His works were finished from the foundation of the world.”

“His works were finished from the foundation of the world” = The scroll was complete before creation.

We’re not creating the plan. We’re entering the plan that was already finished.

The Enemy’s Counterfeit Map (Detroit Map) vs. The True Map (Chicago Map)

The Detroit Map (The Lie)

Based on:

SELF-effort (“You must work to earn it”)
SELF-righteousness (“You must be good enough”)
SELF-glory (“You can do it if you try hard enough”)
Law (“Follow these rules and you’ll make it”)
Performance (“Your worth is based on what you do”)

Result:

Exhaustion (you’re never good enough)

Condemnation (the enemy accuses you constantly)

Fruitlessness (you’re using the wrong map—can’t reach Chicago with a Detroit map)

Futility (Romans 8:20—creation subjected to futility)

Death (Romans 8:6—“the mind set on the flesh is death”)

Who Created It?

Lucifer—the father of lies (John 8:44).

He offers a map that looks legitimate but leads to destruction.

The Chicago Map (The Truth)

Based on:

GRACE (“It’s a free gift”)

CHRIST’S righteousness (“He is your righteousness”—1 Corinthians 1:30)

GOD’S glory (“Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit”—Zechariah 4:6)

Faith (“The righteous will live by faith”—Romans 1:17)

Identity in Christ (“You are complete in Him”—Colossians 2:10)

Result:

Rest (Hebrews 4:9-10—“There remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God”)

Freedom (Galatians 5:1—“It was for freedom that Christ set us free”)

Fruitfulness (John 15:5—“He who abides in Me bears much fruit”)

Abundant life (John 10:10—“I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly”)

Life (Romans 8:6—“the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace”)

Who Created It?

The Father, before the foundation of the world, fulfilled by the Son, applied by the Spirit.

How Do We Follow the Scroll? (The Chicago Map)

Step 1: DIE to SELF

Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ.”

What does this mean practically?

Stop striving (stop trying to earn it)
Stop performing (stop trying to prove your worth)
Stop protecting SELF (reputation, comfort, rights, feelings)
Stop demanding (your way, your timing, your plans)

Surrender ALL:

Rights (“I have the right to…”)
Plans (“I want to…”)
Expectations (“It should go like this…”)
Feelings (“But I feel…”)
Reputation (“What will people think?”)

Die. Daily.

RECEIVE Christ’s Life by FAITH

Galatians 2:20: “Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith.”

What Does This Mean Practically?

Faith = Trusting that the Chicago map (the scroll) is true and following it.

Believe the scroll is complete (“It is finished”)

Trust that God’s plan is perfect (even when you don’t understand)

Rest in His finished work (stop striving)

Receive His grace daily (it’s a gift, not earned)

Follow the Holy Spirit’s leading (He’s the driver in the limo)

WALK in the Spirit

Galatians 5:16: “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.”

What Does This Mean Practically?

Read the Word (the scroll reveals itself as you read)

Pray without ceasing (communion with the Driver)

Obey promptings (Holy Spirit leads you step by step)

Surrender daily (take up your cross daily—Luke 9:23)

Abide in Christ (John 15:4—“Abide in Me, and I in you”)

PRAISE God in ALL Things

1 Thessalonians 5:18: “In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

What does this mean practically?

When there’s a delay, praise Him (it’s in the scroll—refining, testing)

When there’s suffering, praise Him (produces endurance—Romans 5:3-5)

When there’s mockery, praise Him (blessed are the persecuted—Matthew 5:11)

When you don’t understand, praise Him (His ways are higher—Isaiah 55:8-9)

When it looks like failure, praise Him (He works all things for good—Romans 8:28)

Why?

Because the scroll contains the solution to EVERY problem, the answer to EVERY question, the provision for EVERY need.

Faith looks like praising God THROUGH all things, IN all things, and FOR all things—because we believe what is written.

STAND on What Is WRITTEN

Matthew 4:4, 7, 10: “It is written… It is written… It is written…”

What does this mean practically?

When the enemy attacks with:

Doubt (“Did God really say…?”)
Accusation (“You’re not good enough”)
Discouragement (“It’s never going to happen”)
Fear (“What if you’re wrong?”)
Condemnation (“You failed”)

Respond with:

“IT IS WRITTEN!”

Hebrews 13:5: “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you”

Romans 8:1: “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”

Philippians 1:6: “He who began a good work in you will perfect it”

Isaiah 46:10: “My purpose will be established”

Revelation 22:20: “Yes, I am coming quickly”

The enemy cannot argue with what God has written.

The Scroll’s Culmination—Revelation 21-22

Revelation 21:1-5 “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.’ And He who sits on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’ And He said, ‘Write, for these words are faithful and true.’”

This Is the Scroll’s Final Page

What the scroll promised:

New heaven and new earth (Isaiah 65:17, 2 Peter 3:13)

No more death (1 Corinthians 15:54—“Death is swallowed up in victory”)

No more tears, mourning, crying, pain (the curse is removed—Revelation 22:3)

God dwelling with us (Ezekiel 37:27, John 1:14 fulfilled eternally)

All things made new (not repaired, not patched—NEW)

And God says: “These words are faithful and true.”

Meaning: The scroll WILL be fulfilled. Exactly as written. Guaranteed.

Revelation 22:3-5 “There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him; they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever.”

The Final Fulfillment

No more curse (Genesis 3 reversed)

God and the Lamb on the throne (Revelation 5 fulfilled)

We see His face (1 John 3:2—“we will see Him just as He is”)

His name on our foreheads (we belong to Him, sealed forever)

No more night (no more darkness, sin, evil)

God is the light (no need for created light—He IS light)

We reign forever (the scroll’s promise to those who overcome—Revelation 2:26-27, 3:21)

Revelation 22:13 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

Jesus wrote the first page of the scroll. Jesus writes the last page of the scroll.

He is the beginning. He is the end.

The scroll is His story—and we’re invited into it by grace.

The Story of the Scroll

The Story in Summary

Before Time:

The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit create the scroll
The scroll contains the entire plan of redemption
The scroll is complete, perfect, lacking nothing
The scroll is written in Christ (Ephesians 1:4)

In Time:

The scroll unfolds (Genesis to Revelation)

Humanity falls (Genesis 3—the Detroit map is introduced by the serpent)

God begins revealing the Chicago map (promises, covenants, prophecies)

Jesus comes (John 1:14—the Lamb enters time)

Jesus dies (pays the price, fulfills the scroll’s requirement)

Jesus rises (defeats death, opens the scroll)

Jesus ascends (sits at the Father’s right hand)

Jesus sends the Spirit (guides us through the scroll)

The scroll continues unfolding (the Church age, the Tribulation, the Millennium)

At the End

Jesus returns (Revelation 19)
The scroll is completed (Revelation 21-22)
We reign with Him forever (Revelation 22:5)

The Two Destinies

Those Who Follow the Chicago Map (The Scroll of Life)

Salvation by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Eternal life with God (John 3:16)
Glorification (Romans 8:30)
Reigning with Christ (Revelation 22:5)
Seeing His face (Revelation 22:4)
No more tears, death, pain (Revelation 21:4)
Perfect rest in His presence forever

Those Who Follow the Detroit Map (Self-Effort, Works, Rebellion)

Judgment (Hebrews 9:27)
Separation from God (Matthew 25:41)
Lake of fire (Revelation 20:15)
Eternal regret (Luke 13:28—“weeping and gnashing of teeth”)
Justice served for rebellion against the Creator

God is not willing that any should perish (2 Peter 3:9). The invitation is open. The scroll says, “Come.”

How to Enter the Scroll

Recognize you’re using the wrong map (you’re a sinner, separated from God—Romans 3:23)

Receive the right map (believe in Jesus—John 1:12)

Die to SELF (repent, surrender, take up your cross—Luke 9:23)

Live by faith in what is WRITTEN (trust the scroll—Galatians 2:20)

Walk in the Spirit (let Him lead you—Galatians 5:16)

Praise God through ALL things (faith in action—1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Stand on what is WRITTEN (declare “It is written!” when attacked—Matthew 4:4)

The Final Invitation

Revelation 22:17: “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.’”

“Without cost” = By grace. The Chicago map is FREE.

“Come” = Receive it. Follow it. Live it.

The Final Word:

IT IS WRITTEN.

The scroll existed before time began.

The scroll contains everything.

The scroll is complete.

The scroll is being fulfilled—exactly as written—right now.

The scroll will reach its final page: New Heaven, New Earth, God with us forever.

And nothing—NOTHING—can stop what God has written.

So we stand. We watch. We praise. We declare:

“IT IS WRITTEN!”

And we trust—through delays, through wilderness, through mockery, through suffering—that the scroll is unfolding exactly as planned.

The King is coming. The scroll says so.

And if it’s written, it’s TRUE.

My Prayer:

Lord Jesus,

Thank You for the scroll.

Thank You that it was written before the foundation of the world.

Thank You that it’s complete—nothing missing, nothing broken.

Thank You that You are the ONLY ONE worthy to open it.

Thank You that You died to open it.

Thank You that by Your grace, we’re invited to follow it.

Help us die to SELF.

Help us receive Your life by faith.

Help us walk in the Spirit.

Help us praise You in ALL things.

Help us stand on what is WRITTEN.

Help us trust the scroll—even through delays, suffering, and mockery.

And help us endure until the scroll reaches its final page:

A new heaven, a new earth, Your face, Your name on our foreheads, reigning with You forever.

MARANATHA. COME, LORD JESUS.

And so it SHALL BE.

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.”
—Matthew 24:35

“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.”
—Isaiah 40:8

“Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven.”
—Psalm 119:89

IT IS WRITTEN. IT IS FINISHED. IT SHALL BE FULFILLED.

THE END

(Or rather, THE BEGINNING of eternity with Him)

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